English singer-songwriter Will Varley returns to the road tonight for a 12-date UK tour ahead of his seventh studio album release.
‘Machines Will Never Learn To Make Mistakes Like Me’ is released on May 30th, and sees Will teaming up with the likes of Bastille’s Dan Smith and Billy Bragg.
We caught up with Will for a special Q&A ahead of the tour and album…
NC: Your 7th album, ‘Machines Will Never Learn To Make Mistakes Like Me’ is just around the corner. What can we expect from this release in terms of themes and sonically?
Will: “A lot of the songs on this album were written when my children were really little. But it also felt like the world was ending outside, given the stuff I was reading in the news. So it seems to be an album about end times and new beginnings, the constant stress we experience from being plugged into the world’s events, the impending AI apocalypse/revolution (depending on who you talk to!) and how we marry this with the minutiae of our little lives. Sonically, it’s a step up I think. I teamed up with the amazing Tom Farrer, and we worked harder on the production than on any other album before.”
NC: How have the East Kent Coast and the US Midwest influenced the album in regards to the environments you have found yourself in?
Will: “In the years before the pandemic, I spent a lot of time touring in the U.S. I fell in love with the dive bars and the landscapes. The respect and appreciation they have for songwriting in places like Nashville and Austin is unmatched in the UK or even Europe, and the sheer size of the place is mind-blowing. A few weeks ago I drove from St. Louis to Boston, and it took us 20 hours. You can’t drive that long in the UK—you’d fall off the edge of a cliff. But I think there are some parallels between the rusty agricultural and industrial landscapes – and I get a kick out of that for some reason. There’s something mystical about the A2 that I’ve never quite been able to understand. And there’s a wildness to the Kent Weald as well. To me, there is a kindredness there, but maybe it’s just in my head! Either way, it’s a vibe that’s defiantly seeped into my music.”
NC: Tell us about the new single ‘Different Man’. What is the song about and is the sound a taste of what to expect from the new album?
Will: “I had a lot of time to reflect during the pandemic on the years of touring I’d done. Different Man is about the feeling of being on the road for a long time and how it changes you. Then you return home and try to reintegrate with normal life, but it’s tough. Over time, you can become sort of desensitised or something. So really the song is about the fear of not being able to return home as the same person. Sonically, yeah I’d say it’s a good indicator of the record’s vibe, though there are also some acoustic songs not there too.”
NC: You have supported the likes of Frank Turner and Billy Bragg. What have you learnt from these people and experiences?
Will: “So much, it would be hard to write it all down. Frank gave me a voice when no one was listening to my music. Those tours with him, watching him play every night with his band, and how he connects with the crowd. It was like a masterclass of showmanship. And I would say Billy is one of the great folksingers of our time, or any time really. Any time I get to watch him play and do what he does I feel like I learn something new.”
NC: The album features Bastille’s Dan Smith, Billy Bragg and Eleni Drake. Tell us about those choices and how the collaborations have contributed to the album.
Will: “Well we were really, really lucky in that when Tom and I were making the album, we could really hear those particular voices on those tracks. And then we reached out to them after we’d finished our bit and were ready to think about getting some features in, and all three of them were up for it, which was just amazing. Dan Smith’s an old friend of mine; we used to play the open mics together back in the day, and I’m just blown away by what he’s added. When he sent the recordings over Tommy and I just listened to his accapalla vocal takes and they were absolutely beautiful on their own! Eleni Drake’s an amazing singer-songwriter who’s on the same label as me, and I came across her music and fell in love with it. I actually came across a demo version of Everything Has a Heartbeat the other day, without her vocals on it. It sounded so incomplete without her voice. And like I said, Billy Bragg is one of the biggest influences on me and my music, and his vocals on End Times is a huge moment in the record. He comes in about halfway through and I feel like his voice just makes this massive impact.”
NC: Your UK headline tour kicks off this month. What can people expect from a Will Varley live show?
Will: “I’ve toured a lot on my own as a solo acoustic artist in the past, but because of the nature of this album and the fuller production, I thought it would be interesting to take the band out on the road again. The band’s made up of some of my closest friends, so it’s been a joy rehearsing and putting the show together. There’ll be a mix of old songs, some reworked songs, and lots off the new record too. There’ll also be a couple of solo songs, just me and a guitar. So yeah, hopefully we all remember the chords, and everyone has a great night!”
NC: Is there anywhere you are particularly excited to play and why?
Will: “The honest answer is not really! I have a soft spot for every single city on that list and have played all of them in the past. We’re visiting some of the best independent music venues in the country. So I’m just really pleased to be touring again and can’t wait to see everyone.”
NC: Your genre seems to have been pushed to the forefront of music in recent years. What has this been like for you?
Will: “I don’t really pay much attention to it! It’s always been just me and a guitar, singing songs, and people have been doing that for a very, very long time. It doesn’t really matter to me what people call it or whether it’s fashionable or not. I mean, I think they call it alt-folk or something these days, but you know, it’s just playing guitar, singing songs, and trying to be as honest as you can.”
NC: Post release and tour, what does the future hold for Will Varley?
Will: “Tommy and I had a few writing sessions last week, starting to get ready to work on the next album. So there’ll be more music coming in the not too distant future. I took my foot off the gas a little when the kids were really young, I didn’t wanna miss any of it! But I’m gonna be releasing music a little more regularly from now in. And there’s plans to go back to the US, and out to Europe by the end of the year. Plus a huge show in London at EartH in October.”
Will Varley’s headline tour dates are below. Head to Live – WillVarley.com for more information.
UK HEADLINE TOUR
25 Mar Sheffield The Leadmill
26 Mar Edinburgh The Voodoo Rooms
27 Mar Glasgow Drygate
28 Mar Newcastle The Cluny
29 Mar Liverpool Arts Club
30 Mar Nottingham Rescue Rooms
01 Apr Cambridge The Junction
02 Apr Bristol Thekla
03 Apr Falmouth The Cornish Bank
04 Apr Southampton The Joiners (Sold Out)
05 Apr Brighton Patterns
06 Apr Margate Where Else?
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